Until We Meet In Heaven
by Ms Musician
Summary: Two weeks before their wedding, Nancy and Ned disappear.
1. Chapter 1

"Nancy, you've been looking at dresses for _hours_ now! Haven't you found a wedding dress yet?"

Nancy turned away from a rack of dresses she was looking through to smile at her friend. "Bess, you should know that I want my wedding to be _perfect._ And that includes finding the perfect dress." She turned back to the rack, taking a dress off the rack to hold it up to her. "Besides," she added. "Since when do _you_ of all people get tired of shopping?"

"Since I became hungry hours ago," Bess retorted. "Now can we please finish up here? We can even come back if you want."

Nancy turned back to her friend. After a moment, she finally said, "All right. But we're coming back. I'm not going home until I find a dress."

"Fine. Let's go!"

* * *

They found a café not far from the bridal store. It was a small, quiet place, and the perfect place for relaxing.

Bess came to the table with a tray of food. As she sat down, Nancy asked, "So what's George up to that she couldn't come dress shopping with us? I was hoping she would come with us."

"Oh, she just said she would go, but not with me. Apparently she says I get easily distracted or something." Bess shrugged. "But whatever."

"I hope she doesn't mind the pink colored bridesmaid's dresses," Nancy said.

"It doesn't matter," Bess replied. "She had the opportunity to come, but she didn't, so she'll have to deal with it. Besides, it's _your_ wedding, not hers. Our opinions don't matter."

Nancy smiled. Suddenly, her cell phone rang. She took it out of her purse, looked at the caller ID, then looked at Bess with an apologetic smile. Bess just rolled her eyes.

"Just answer it," Bess said, knowing it was Nancy's fiancé, Ned Nickerson.

As she opened the phone and put it to her ear, she looked at her friend and mouthed a silent 'thank you' before walking off for privacy.

"Hello?"

"Hey. How's it going?" Even as he spoke, Nancy could hear the smile in Ned's voice.

"Great," Nancy said. "Bess and I are dress shopping. I think I've just about narrowed my search down."

"That's good," Ned said. "Then you should be free this evening?"

"What did you have planned?" she asked.

"Dinner, sometime around seven tonight? At that Italian restaurant we like."

"Sounds good," she said. Then her voice changed as she softly said, "I love you."

"I love you, too," he replied. "See you tonight."

* * *

When Ned picked her up at quarter to seven that evening, she was ready at the door. When Ned noted her flowing white skirt along with a tank top and high heels, making her outfit dressy but not _too_ dressy, he whistled, a playful grin on his face. She blushed. "Are you ready?" she asked him, and he nodded as he took her hand gently in his.

"You look great," he said, giving her a quick kiss.

"Thanks," she replied. She took his hand as they walked toward his car. "You look pretty good yourself."

He sighed dramatically. "I try," he said.

Nancy laughed as Ned opened the passenger side door for her. He waited until she was in to get in on his side. They then left her house.

--

They arrived at the restaurant at seven o'clock sharp. They were seated in an especially quiet area of the restaurant that gave them plenty of privacy.

"It seems like we can never get a moment alone anymore," Nancy commented.

"I know," Ned replied. "The wedding takes a lot of work."

"It's very time consuming," Nancy agreed, then added, "It'll be worth it, though."

Ned smiled back and kissed her. "Of course it will."

The waiter brought their food then, and the topic was changed.

When they finished eating, Ned paid the bill and the young couple left the restaurant, hand in hand.

--

They chose to take a stroll on a nearby path that led to the lake. They had gone down this trail several times, one time being the evening Ned proposed to Nancy—the night she officially became engaged. It was a very romantic place to be for any couple, but especially for them.

Ned pulled her close as they walked, and she rested her head on his shoulder. Ned kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Nancy Drew," he said.

"I love you, too," Nancy replied. She sighed. "I can't wait for the wedding."

"Me either," Ned said.

"It'll be wonderful," Nancy said softly.

They walked in silence for a long moment. Suddenly, Ned stopped short.

"What's wrong?" Nancy asked.

"I thought I heard someone," he replied. They were quiet a moment.

"I don't hear anything," Nancy said.

"Maybe I'm hearing things," Ned said.

But he wasn't. When an unknown person jumped out at Nancy, Ned was ready and immediately reacted. However, he soon found himself being pulled back by a second attacker.

The man holding Nancy had a hand clasped tight over her mouth, using his other hand to hold her hands behind her. Ned fought until he was able to break free temporarily. He immediately yanked the other man away from his fiancé.

"Nancy, run," he yelled. "Get out of here. Get help."

Nancy turned very reluctantly and started to run, but wasn't completely surprised to be grabbed once again. She managed a scream before the attacker held a cloth soaked with what had to be chloroform over her nose and mouth. She struggled and struggled, but knew it was useless. Nancy managed one last short struggle before suddenly, she lost consciousness.


	2. Chapter 2

Hi, everyone. Yeah, I know I didn't put an author's note on the first story, so I'll put one here. As I said before, I'm probably only going to post a few of my stories back up. Maybe ten at the most compared to my former forty....lol. If there's one that you want me to post, PM me.

Until We Meet In Heaven was the first story that I ever wrote; it was the first story that I posted when I first got a fanfiction profile. I've decided to change a few things about the story, as you'll see later, but it's the same idea and everything. Anyway, sorry, I'm babbling too much. I hope you enjoy the next chapter. R&R Please :)

* * *

Nancy was the first to wake up.

At first, she seemed too drowsy to even think of doing anything but giving in to the darkness that threatened to take over her. But she had to wake up. Slowly, she opened her eyes.

She was in a room that was very cold and very dark. The ropes around her wrists were much too tight and the hard concrete floor was absolutely no comfort at all to her. There was a single window, but it was well beyond reach, giving her no way to escape even if she _did_ manage to get out of her bonds.

But there was another question that hadn't been answered. How had she gotten here? What had happened? She sat there a moment, her thoughts whirling. Then, it came back to her.

She had been with Ned. They were taking a walk along the trail. She remembered being grabbed from behind…Ned pulling her attacker off of her…yelling at her to get help…then nothing. That was the last thing she remembered.

Suddenly, she heard two people talking in the next room. _The kidnappers?_ She strained to hear what they were saying, but only caught pieces of the conversation. "Yeah, we just got back…we'll start tonight…she will, trust me…"

The voice got more distant then, making it so Nancy was unable to hear the rest of the conversation.

_What are they talking about?_ she wondered. _Are they talking about me?_

She didn't think about it long, for a moment later, she heard Ned groan from across the room. As he slowly gained consciousness, he managed to groggily ask, "What happened?"

A deep voice spoke up before Nancy could answer. "You were kidnapped, of course."

As a light was flipped on, their eyes went toward the door, where a man's figure stood in the door. He was tall and muscular, which was very useful in his kidnapping career. His dark hair was mussed and his clothes, although very nice, were very wrinkled, and Nancy assumed that he was wearing the same outfit he wore when he first kidnapped them. Even so, it still didn't take much for him to intimidate her.

The man stepped out of the doorway and toward the young couple. Nancy recognized him immediately.

"Bernard Corbett," she said softly.

The man started at her for a long moment before breaking into a dreadful smile. "So you remember me, Ms. Drew. Good. We won't need to waste time with introductions."

"What do you want?" she asked.

He stepped toward her. "Revenge, my dear. Revenge. Either you tell me what I want—and I'm sure you know what I want—or believe me, you'll regret it greatly."

Nancy stole a glance at Ned, who looked just as confused as she felt. Then, she realized what he wanted from her.

"I don't have it," she said.

Bernard watched her carefully for a long moment. Finally, he said, "You know who has it, though."

Nancy said nothing, but instead looked away, unwilling to give up what she knew for what was probably an idol threat. Finally, Bernard said, "You _will_ regret this." Then, with that last threat, he left the room.

It was only after Bernard slammed the door after him that Ned spoke up. "What was that all about?" he asked.

Nancy shook her head. "Something you'd know nothing about," she said. She sighed. "I'm so sorry—" she began.

"It's not your fault," Ned said, then sighed. "Let's just try to hang in there until we can get out of this mess."

Nancy nodded. Suddenly, the door opened and another man walked in. He was carrying a tray with two plates of food and two cups full of something cold. He first went to Nancy. Instinctively, she reached for one plate, but the kidnapper stopped her, handing her the other plate and a drink. After giving Ned his food, the kidnapper left without a single word to either teen.

They ate in silence. They finished in silence. And that night, when they finally managed to fall asleep, they simply said a quick "I love you" before trying their best to get comfortable. Nancy sighed, only wishing Ned wasn't with her. He didn't deserve this. Not now, not ever. She closed her eyes and finally tried to fall asleep.

It was only an hour later that Nancy became ill.


	3. Chapter 3

That night, neither Nancy nor Ned slept. Nancy was up most of the night with an upset stomach, and only Ned was left to take care of her.

But the first night wasn't anywhere as bad as the second night was, and the third night was even worse yet. It was then that Ned realized what they were doing to her.

They were poisoning her.

They weren't giving her much at a time, but in the end, Ned knew it would all add up, possibly leading to her death. Whatever information they wanted from her, they were very determined to get.

Nancy must have realized the same thing Ned did, maybe a little sooner. The last meal they ate before Ned knew what was going on, Nancy refused to eat. The kidnappers had threatened her and threatened her, but she stood her ground bravely, taking the chance that their threats were idol. Fortunately, for now, they were.

Ned knew that she would be unable to keep it up for long. Because she was already very ill, not eating would have a poor effect on her health. Often, Ned would give her his food. But it wasn't long before the kidnappers found out, and the food supply stopped completely.

One of them had to remain calm in this situation, and that person would need to be Ned. But as more time went on, he finally realized the danger in the situation, and he could barely hide his fear; not for his life, but for Nancy's.

The kidnappers began giving her doses of poison with a syringe. After only two more doses, her health changed drastically. She developed a very high temperature; the lack of food and large amount of poison in her system made her dangerously thin; and she was very rarely conscious. Even when she _did_ gain consciousness, she never stayed conscious for long.

The kidnappers left Ned untied unless they were dealing with Nancy. They trusted that he wouldn't attempt to escape, because if he did, they were sure to kill them both instantly. They knew he would never put Nancy's life in more danger. If he did manage to escape, they would kill Nancy the moment he left. And it was nearly impossible to escape with Nancy when she was in her current condition.

But Ned stayed strong. He needed to. Nancy was getting more and more weak daily, and Ned knew that although she tried to hide it, she was actually giving up hope.

It was horrible for Ned, having to watch his fiancé suffer like she was. It was frustrating. But it was their fourth night there that pushed him to his limit.

Ned had just laid down on the firm, cold concrete floor with Nancy in his arms—just as he did every night. He held her gently, allowing her head to rest on his chest, as he tried to find the sleep that refused to come. It was then that he heard the kidnappers talking. The first voice he heard was an unknown person, but they sounded frantic.

"You told me that you'd stop after a few doses. You promised!"

The next voice, Bernard's voice, sounded calm and sure as he answered, "Yes. I know what I told you. But we didn't expect her to hold out this long. Plans change. And right now, the plan is to take care of her once and for all."

"Then we'll get stuck with a murder warrant," the other kidnapper muttered.

"You knew that when you agreed to help me," Bernard growled back. His partner said something so soft Ned wasn't able to understand him. Bernard replied, "Look. She's almost dead already. We can finish her off within the next few days. The exchange for her fiancé is set for Friday. His family is supposed to drop the money off, and when they do we can get the money off of him, ditch her body, and leave town for good. All will work out fine. Trust me."

There was an exceptionally long silence. Finally, his accomplice softly said, "Okay."

--

Very early the next morning, Bernard and his partner walked into the room. Bernard managed to get Ned away from Nancy, but not without a fight. Ned found himself being held back for a long time while he watched helplessly as another strong dose of poison was given to Nancy. When they were done, Bernard let go of Ned; it took everything in him to not give the kidnappers what they deserved for hurting Nancy. But Ned held back, and both kidnappers left the room without a word. Ned went to Nancy's side once more.

He laid down that night earlier than usual. He held Nancy a little closer as he checked on her one last time. He finally closed his eyes and tried to let himself relax. All of his thoughts concerned Nancy.

He knew that she wouldn't make it much longer. Even if she was given medical attention, he wasn't so sure she could pull through. She was at the point where there was very little that they could do for her.

But he also knew that she needed to be given that chance. She needed the chance to live. The only way she would be given that chance would be if he did something. But what was there to do?

He sighed, giving Nancy one last gentle kiss.

It was then that he realized what he had to do.


	4. Chapter 4

Nancy woke up for the first time in days very, very early the next morning. When she did, she found herself too weak to even open her eyes at the moment. Instead, she let herself relax in Ned's arms as she tried to find out more about her current surroundings.

The room was almost completely dark, with the exception of what was most likely a flashlight faintly lighting part of the room. It was colder than usual; possibly from an open door? She wasn't sure.

She also became aware of Ned's voice, which now sounded drained, worried, and almost desperate. But he wasn't talking to her. Instead, he was talking to someone else.

The kidnappers.

Nancy strained to hear what they were saying, but she found it too difficult. She could feel herself begin to drift off again, but fought it off. A few minutes later, the talking stopped, and Nancy heard the sound of footsteps leaving the room. A moment later, she felt herself being laid down.

It wasn't until Ned had completely laid her down and had begun to stand up that Nancy stopped him by softly saying his name. He stopped, then, and looked at her hesitantly. She felt him slip something on her before he gently took her hand.

"Nancy, you know that I love you. You know that right?" his voice shook as he spoke.

It was at that moment that she realized something was about to happen. But not to her. Something was about to happen to Ned. She forced herself to open her eyes to meet his steadily. It was then that she noticed the fear in his eyes. Fear that he was trying so hard to hide, just for her sake. And it was at that moment that she realized what was going to happen.

"Ned, don't go," she said. "Please."

She could hear footsteps again, pounding down the stairs. The door opened again. Ned kissed her hand, then her forehead before gently resting his hand on her cheek. "You're going to be alright," he whispered. "Just hang in there. Just a little longer."

The footsteps were closer now. Her eyes were barely open now, and Ned knew he was losing her again. But he continued.

"Until we meet in Heaven, hang in there and always, always remember that I love you."

She was lifted from his arms, then, as someone else took her. As her hand slipped out of Ned's, he heard her voice for the last time as she softly replied, "I love you, too."


	5. Chapter 5

The room Nancy woke up in was both dark and cold—just like the last room. She could faintly hear the sound of a telephone ringing elsewhere, along with a constant soft _beep…beep…beep…_

As she became more aware of her surroundings, she realized where she was. She was in a hospital. But as she opened her eyes to confirm her assumption, she realized something else. Something that made everything come back to her.

Ned wasn't with her.

She closed her eyes, and immediately everything came back to her—from the dress shopping to those last few moments when Ned had spoken to her, most likely for the last time. The reality was finally hitting her—and it hit hard.

Ned had died for her.

When she opened her eyes, she noticed for the first time a jacket that had been laid across one of the chairs in the room, right next to her bed. It was Ned's letter jacket. Remembering those last few moments again, she realized now what Ned had wrapped around her before they were separated. His letter jacket. Her heart heavy, she pulled the jacket off of the back of the chair and into the bed with her. She held it close to her and closed her eyes. She then did something she hadn't done in a very long time.

She cried.

--

The next morning, Hannah Gruen and Carson Drew both came to visit. One at a time, of course, due to ICU limitations. But both were overjoyed to see her alive.

Throughout the day, she received visits from friends and family. By the time visiting hours were over sometime early in the evening, Nancy found herself exhausted.

The nurse came to tell her father it was time to leave. However, after a brief argument, Carson Drew managed to talk his way into staying overnight. He never left his daughter's side for more than a few minutes, and only if it was absolutely necessary. As for work, he traveled directly from the hospital to work, then back to the hospital again, with no stops in between.

For weeks, Nancy was kept in the ICU. Unfortunately, her condition seemed to worsen. The fact that Ned had yet to be found didn't help things at all, either. But one day, almost three weeks after Nancy had been found, Mr. Drew received a phone call from the chief of police.

The kidnappers had been found.

--

"They want her to _what?_" Bess asked incredulously.

It was nearly four o'clock in the morning at the River Heights hospital. A call had been made about two hours earlier saying that Nancy had been taken into the emergency room again after having trouble breathing, leaving Hannah Gruen, Bess, George, and Mr. Drew gathered in the waiting room. Mr. Drew was telling the others of a phone call he had gotten at work just before he left for the night.

"Her captors are being taken to court in a month. They want her to testify against them."

"They can't really expect her to be able to do something like that."

"If we want even the slightest chance of bringing those two to justice, she'll have to testify," Mr. Drew said. He sighed. "I tried to get her out of it, believe me. The emotional stress it will cause, along with her illness certainly isn't going to help her get any better. But unless Ned is found, alive, within the next month, it has to be done. She's the only witness we have."

"And if Ned is found alive, he can take her place," George said. "Right?" Mr. Drew nodded.

A doctor came out, then, and asked to speak to Mr. Drew alone. He stood and followed the doctor.

--

Bess and George didn't arrive back at their apartment—which they shared—until very late that night. Neither of them had said a word to anyone since they had left the hospital.

Before they left, Mr. Drew had shared the news the doctor had reported. Unfortunately, it wasn't good.

The doctor said that due to the amount of poison in Nancy's body, even the medicine she was being given wasn't helping much, if at all. In the emergency room, her heart had stopped for over a full minute before they were able to revive her. Her organs were slowly shutting down with the major ones going first. For now, she was being watched very carefully throughout the night.

He gave her a twenty percent chance of making it through the night.

"I can't stand this," George said. "Watching helplessly as our best friend dies in a hospital bed. It's unfair. And just imagine how she must feel, when Ned's probably dead—"

"We don't know that for sure," Bess said.

"Oh, please. He's been missing for over a month; what are the odds of finding him alive? Slim," her cousin replied.

"You can have that attitude now," Bess replied, "but don't you dare say anything like that around Nancy."

"You know I wouldn't," George said.

They sat in silence for a long time. Finally Bess spoke up again. "Do you really think she's going to have to testify against those two creeps? I mean, with her current condition and all?"

"If she makes somehow, miraculously, makes it to next month, unfortunately, I'm sure she'll have to go through with it no unless she absolutely can't do it. Like Mr. Drew said—it's the only way to get justice." George sighed. "He said that if he had the chance, he would talk to her about it. Right now our main concern is obvious."

Bess nodded. "Praying for a miracle tonight."


	6. Chapter 6

That night, a miracle _did_ happen, and when Bess and George called the hospital, Nancy was still alive. As soon as visiting hours started, Bess and George left for the hospital.

For the first time in a long time, Nancy was actually conscious when they came to visit. She was sitting up slightly in bed. It was then that Bess and George were able to see the damage done by the poison already. She attempted a weak smile when they came in, but the smile was shaky.

"How are you feeling?" Bess asked as the cousins took a seat.

"Honestly? Terrible," Nancy replied. She sighed. "Have they—have they found anything else out about Ned?"

The cousins exchanged glances. "You know how police are. They won't tell you anything unless you're family."

After that, the cousins started conversation about other things, but it was very obvious that Nancy's mind was elsewhere.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Mr. and Mrs. Nickerson stood in the doorway. "Bess, George, can we speak to you for a minute?" Mr. Nickerson asked.

"Sure," George said. As they stood up, she added, "We'll be right back."

Nancy nodded. After the door shut behind them, Nancy sank down in the bed. She reached for the bed remote and laid the bed back further, then closed her eyes, fighting back tears. It was frustrating to her, knowing that there was nothing that she could do to find her fiancé. Not in her condition.

After a moment, she took a deep breath, then did the only thing she could think of.

She prayed.

--

She fell asleep about an hour later. She woke to the sound of soft footsteps in the hallway. Very slowly, she opened her eyes, and realized that she was alone. Bess and George had already left, and her father was still at work. She closed her eyes again. Rain was pounding against the window outside, followed by an occasional soft rumble of thunder. The footsteps had stopped.

She closed her eyes again, listening to the rain. She hugged Ned's letter jacket a little closer to her and tried to go back to sleep. But she suddenly got the feeling that she was being watched. She finally opened her eyes—and her heart nearly stopped.

Leaning against the wall, right next to the door, was a young man. He was tall with dark hair and matching dark eyes that met hers steadily. He was smiling at her.

She closed her eyes instantly. _Dream…it's just a dream…_

But suddenly, the young man walked over to her bed and very gently took her hand. The way he held it…so gently…

She opened her eyes and found herself staring into a familiar pair of eyes.

The young man was Ned.

Nancy wrapped her arms around his neck as he took her in his arms gently. She buried her face in his chest. Then, she cried. But this time, they were not tears of sorrow. They were tears of joy.

From the doorway, Ned's parents watched with tears of their own. It was then that they knew, they both knew, there was a chance for happiness once again.


	7. Chapter 7

"Bess, can you hand me that hair clip? Yes, that one. Be careful, that curling iron is still hot. Thank you."

A year after the original wedding date, and everyone was scrambling around the church, making last minute changes and arrangements while those involved with the wedding got ready. Bess and Hannah were helping Nancy get ready for the big day.

"Nancy, you look gorgeous," Bess said. "Really."

Nancy smiled at her friend. "Thanks," she said. "Thank you both for helping me get ready."

"It was nothing," Hannah said. She smiled. "It's hard to believe that you're getting married," she added. "It seems like just yesterday you were in preschool, finding all kinds of trouble to get in."

Nancy couldn't help but laugh. "I remember," she said.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. "Come in," Nancy called. George opened the door and peeked in. "Your Dad wants to talk to you," she said. "I was told to come see if it was all clear."

Nancy smiled. "Tell him he can come in," she said. George closed the door a she left. A few minutes later and her father was in the room.

"May I speak to my daughter alone?" he asked.

Bess and Hannah nodded. Hannah gave Nancy one last hug before leaving the room. Once the door shut, Mr. Drew walked toward his daughter.

"You look beautiful," he said.

"Thanks, Dad," she replied. She sighed. "You know, I never thought this day would come. Not after everything we've been through."

Mr. Drew kissed the top of his daughter's head. "That's the past now," he said, and she nodded. "As long as you're happy, that's all that matters. You and Ned will have a wonderful life together. You've both been through plenty, but you've made it. You've finally made it to your wedding date. I'm very proud of you--both of you--for what you've accomplished so far."

Nancy gave her father a lingering hug. "Thank you," she said softly."

Mr. Drew glanced at the clock. "We should get going. They should be ready to start in a few minutes."

Nancy hooked her arm in her father's, then walked out of the room, prepared to close the doors of the past, and open the new opportunities of the future.

--

Everyone was waiting anxiously by the time Nancy arrived. As the music began to play, everyone took their place, and the ceremony began. Nancy walked down the aisle confidently. Her eyes did not wonder, but instead stayed locked with Ned's. He stood at the alter, waiting for her. His three friends, Dave, Mike, and Howie, stood by him as groomsmen. His soft smile widened when he saw her.

When she arrived at the alter, the priest asked, "Who brings this woman to marry this man?"

"I do," Carson Drew said, and then stepped back. Ned gently took Nancy's hand and the priest began.

" Ned, do you take Nancy to be your wife?"

"I do," Ned replied.

"Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect her, forsaking all others, and holding only unto her?

"I do," Ned answered.

"And do you, Nancy, take Ned to be your husband?"

Nancy smiled and answered, "I do."

"Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect him, forsaking all others, and holding only unto him?"

"I do," Nancy answered.

The priest then moved on to the wedding rings. "Wedding rings are an outward and visible sign of an inward spiritual grace and the unbroken circle of love, signifying to all the union of this man and this woman in marriage." The priest turned to Ned and instructed him to take Nancy's ring and to repeat the vow.

Nancy held out her left hand. As Ned slipped the ring on her finger, he said, "With this ring, I thee wed..."

It was Nancy's turn now. Ned held his left hand out, and Nancy said, "With this ring, I thee wed..."

Once there rings were exchanged, the priest said, "Ned and Nancy, in so much as the two of you have agreed to live together in Matrimony, have promised you love for each other by these vows, the giving of these rings, and the joining of your hands, I now declare you husband and wife. Ned, you may now kiss your bride."

Smiling, Ned leaned in and the two kissed. When they broke apart a moment later, the priest spoke to the audience, "I present you Mr. and Mrs. Nickerson."

* * *

That's it for now. I hope you've enjoyed the story. Please tell me what you think :) Till later...

-boyzaremylife


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